ABSTRACT
This chapter describes the history of coal as prevalent fuel source, the environmental consequences of mining and burning coal, the coal regions in the United States, mining methods, laws protecting miners, and the changing dynamics of coal as source of electricity generation. The Explosion at the Upper Big Branch (UBB) Mine talks about the economic injustices that have long prevailed in Appalachian coal country, where coal companies have extracted resources worth millions and where some of the poorest people in America live and always have. The chapter explores the factors leading up to the tragedy at the UBB mine and compares those factors to the common characteristics of industrial disasters. Though deep underground mining is a dangerous activity and accidents are expected, the culture at Massey, largely nurtured and promoted by its CEO, Don Blankenship, was responsible for the tragedy. It discusses the court cases, policy responses, and regulatory changes in the aftermath of the explosion of the UBB mine.
